Fastening means and combination



Nuv..23, 1948. s. HAMMER v 2,454,695

. FASTENING MEANS AND COMBINATION l Filed Aug. 14, 1944 26, zw @E uw' WWW" i'lm 'Z7 I INVENTOR. U/// damue] /Ydiftm'lr .Z0 v

Patented Nov. 23,` 1948 UNITE-o smv-ras PAT-ENT Ioerier.. FASTNINGMEICOMENTION v United Metalox yC corporation of New Yik 0.,. Inc., Brooklyn, iN.

Application Augusvm, 1944;s'eisfNe. 549,445

ie-claims. (Gleisen-34) The invention relates to a fasteningi'meansfor securing a panel to a frame. The inventionalso relates to a combination of the panel and the frame carrying the fastening means `for securing the panel thereto. The invention has particular applicability for securing the tcp 4of a cabinet such as a kitchen cabinet to the cabinet Aframe and also to secure a panel forminga sink or a sink and drain board to the frame which supports the same. Y

It is an object of the invention to construct a new and novel panel `fastener whichis easily and quickly operated to secure a panel to a frame.

It is another object of the invention Ito con'- struct alcombination of panel andframehaving a new and novel fastening means for quickly and securely attaching the panel to the frame.

Another object of the invention is to construct a fastening means for securingapanel to a frame which firmly secures the panel thereto and which can be cheapiy manufactured.

Other objects of the invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings illustrating sorneypreferred embodiments of the invention in which Figure 1 is a cross section through a frame to which the panel is secured and showing the fastening means securing the panel to the frame.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through the frame and fastening means showing the manner in which the panel is secured to the frame.

Figure 3 is a partial view of the securing means in their initial position. l

Figure 4 shows a mitered corner of the frame as it is formed from strip material.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section through a frame and fastening means of a modified construction. f

Figure 6 is a view of the fastening means in their initial position.

Figure '7 is a cross section taken on line 1--1 of Figure 5 through the frame and panel and showing fastening means securing the panel to the frame.

The fastening means is designed particularly for the top panel which may be used as agtable top for a kitchen cabinet and the like. The fastening means however is applicable to securing any panel to a frame such as side panels and may be used to secure any table top to theframe which receives the same whether the top be flat or has an inclined, curved or vertical back portion. The panel `may be a sink or a combination of'lsink andadjacent drainboard. -Sinkskas presently manufactured, `havea 'downwardly exs tending flange :which extends beyond the `side of the' cabinet supporting thesame. This `flange isfunev'en lor Awavy and hencerequires amarrow filler-.section hetweenit` andthe adjacent cabinet in forder to iprovide r a Vcontinuous and tight` construction therebetween. `With asink panel orga combination sink and .drainboard `panel secured tov aframe by the construction tobe "described, the iframe -,provides Va Aiiat .frame ledge 'against which the adjacent Vcabinet may .be directly placed without theuse of any filler structure. Thefconstruction'has a very wideneldof use and also embodies .the 'combination of thepanel and frame fwith the fastening .means Vwhich secures thepanelto.the-frame.

lIn'lFigure. 1,; arpanel l0, that illustratedbeingia table top `for aV-kitchen `cabinet, or thelilee, is' fastened pto Aa ttraine '12. fThe panel `may Vhave .a downwardly or inwardly extending iflange lill The panelsis tobesecuredtoiaframe l2 which hasffa .shoulderrl3 to" engage the top surface' there-` of. Thi'sifrarne 'maybe formed fstripzmaterial `with xnitered corners |5 as shown `Figure f4 so that bendingtlre strip at therniterpoints forms thecomplete frame. The two -ends-'of thegstrip are Secured .togetherto .forni the fconipleted frame. The shoulder I3foritab1s, cabinets and the like risa `iiange extendingthe -fulllength of each side of the raine l2. lSpaced lfrom :the shoulder lf3 `and vpreferably Lat `the* other e'dge thereof, the frame l2 `may `carry a 'groove or socket llill which maybe'iormed'by'bending the lower-.edge of the: frame into a U.

.The .fastening means may be carried by va separate `mernber whichis secured `to the "frame in any suitable fashion. VThe fastening `means shown `includeszian `angle.-,rnember I1 having an inwardly extendingflange I8. The angle membershown carried by the frame andreceived Within the .U thereJf.I The inwardly `extending flange I8 carries at least one bendable tongue l andfor Ytable vtop sror panels of a substantial dimension a plurality of such tongues `are utilized which are spaced .closely together A,in order to obtaina-continuous tight t betweenthe top and the shoulder I:3 throughout the lengththereof. Eachytongue |49 may be punched or Aotherwise formed in the flange` such as by forming-theautout @20".so that the `tongue `is free .and may be easilybentiwhenitisdesired vto-secure a panel such as a sink, table top or the like tothe frame.- '1-:he tongues `,are .spacedfrom theimdersidegofu the panel Vand .are shown` as parallel `thereto -although parel el irelation ,is not essential l .The

tongues and their respective bending axes are spaced from the panel so that each tongue must be bent in order to grip the panel between the shoulder and tongue. The tongues are shown as being at right angles to the adjacent frame, however, it is clear that they may be parallel with the frame.

The tongues may 'be more easily bent if they are provided in adjacent pairs as illustrated in Figure 4 and may be bent by forcing or hammering a U-shaped tool against the tongues as shown in Figure 2. Here the tongues are shown as being directed away from each other in initial position which is in the plane or substantially in the plane of the ilange I8. The angle member may be one piece for each side of the frame or it may be many pieces secured to each side of the frame.

The panel I is positioned within the frame between the llange I8 of the angle member I'I and the shoulder I3. With this type of assembly the angular member I1 may be permanently secured such as by welding to the frame I2. The panel or table top I 0 may be inserted within the frame before it is bent into final form or before the joining ends are secured together so that the frame can be opened up for insertion of the panel in position. The frame is then closed and the ends of the strip secured together such as by welding to form the nished frame. The frame with its panel is then attached to the cabinet or other supporting structure.

If desired the U I4 may form a socket for removably or insertably receiving the angle member. In such construction the frame may be completed, after which the panel I0 is inserted therein. The angle members are then inserted into the U-shaped socket I4. Each tongue I9 is then bent upwardly so that it engages the inner or underside of the panel I0. Since the bending axis of the tongue is spaced from the panel, the tongue is bent from a parallel or approximately parallel position with respect to the panel to a position in which it is perpendicular or at a steep angle with respect thereto. Preferably the tongues are of such length or slightly longer than the distance to the underside of the panel so that the end of the tongue bites into the inner side thereof. The tongue may or may not be distorted in the bending operation depending upon the length of tongue selected.

It is clear that the fastening means may be utilized with a panel or top which is slid into position from the fourth side. It is clear also that if it is desired to secure only two sides of the panel that a groove, socket or other means may be utilized to secure-one side of the panel and the fastening means described may then anchor the opposite edge of the panel. In the preferred construction, however, and particularly fortable tops, kitchen cabinet tops, and sinks, the panel is secured by the bendable fastening means on all lfour sides of the frame.

The fastening means described may also, if desired, be so located that the side edge 23 of the tongue engages the flange II of the panel. With this construction the panel I0 is securely anchored between the tongue and the shoulder I3 in a vertical or inward direction and also rmly anchored against lateral movement by the edge of the tongue engaging the ilange I I. Such construction provides double `anchorage forthe panel.

vIn the construction of Figures through 7,

pairs of tongues 26, are cutinto the angular mem! ber 21 so than the tongues are airectedtowards of relatively greater thickness the vthe thickness of which each other. A tool may be utilized for forcing or hammering the tongues upwardly into contact with the panel 28. The angle member may be permanently anchored to the frame, or removable or insertable in the frame 29 in the same manner as described in connection with the construction of Figures 1 through 4.

The fastening means described has considerable advantage when the panel or table top is of some material such as ilber board or wood, may vary considerably for panels of supposedly the same dimension. The .bendable tongues may distort or lbend at their ends to accommodate for such variations in thickness as illustrated in Figure 5. For a re1- atively thin panel, there will be no or slight distortion of the ends of the tongue. For a panel end of the panel. The as shown in thereby more A filler insertable angle memtongue may bend as it digs into the tongues, also, may have teeth 29 Figure 7 to dig into the panel and ilrmly anchor the same to the frame. strip 30 may be used when bers are used.

This invention is presented to ll a need for improvements in a fastening means and combination. It is understood that various modifications in structure, as well as changes in mode of operation, assembly, and manner of use, may and often do occur to those skilled in the art, especially after benefitting from the teachings of an invention. Hence, it will be understood that this disclosure is illustrative of preferred means of embodying the invention in useful form by explaining the construction, operation and advantages thereof.

What is claimed is:

l. A panel fastener comprising a frame to receive the panel to be fastened, a shoulder carried by the frame at one edge thereof to engage one side of the panel, a U formed at the other edge of the frame, an angle member received in the U providing an inwardly extending flange spaced from the shoulder on the frame, at least one bendable tongue carried by the ange and adapted to be bent into contact with the panel to secure the same to the frame between the shoulder and the bent tongue.

2. A panel fastener to secure 4a panel having an angularly extending flange comprising a frame to receive the panel to be fastened, .a shoulder carried by the frame at one edge thereof to engage one side lof the panel, .a plurality of bendable tongues vcarried by the fr-ame and located with an edge of the tongue in position to engage the panel flange, the .tongues being adapted to be bent with their ends into contact with the underside of the panel to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the bent tongues and with an edge of the tongues engaging the panel ilange to secure the panel against lateral movement.

3. A panel fastener to secure a panel having an angularly extending ange comprising a frame to receive the panel to be fastened having a shoulder to engage one side of the panel, an inwardly extending ilange carried by the frame and spaced from the shoulder on the frame, at least one bendable tongue carried by the ilange and its edge located adjacent :the flange on the panel, the tongue or tongues being adapted to be bent into contact with the other side of the panel and the edge of the tongue into contact with the side of the panel flange to .secure the panel to the frame.

LA panel fastener .to secure a panel having an angularly extending flange ycomprising a frame to receive the panel to be fastened, a shoulder carried by the frame to engage one side of the panel, a U carried by the frame spaced from the shoulder, an angle member removably received in the U and having .an inwardly extending flange which -is spaced from the shoulder on the frame, a plurality of bendable tongues carried by the flange adjacent to the frame and adapted to be bent to bring the ends into contact with the other side of the panel and the edge of the tongue into contact with the panel flange to secure the panel to the frame.

5. A panel and panel fastener ycombination comprising a panel having a ilange extending angularly therefrom, a frame to receive the panel having a sh-oulder to engage the outer side of the panel, an inwardly extending flange carried by at least one side of the frame and spaced from the shoulder on the frame, a plurality of bendable tongues carried by the flange and spaced from the panel, the tongues being adapted to be bent to bring each end into contact with the inner side of the panel and the edge of each tongue into contact with `the panel flange to secure the panel to the frame.

6. A panel and panel fastener combination comprising a panel having a flange extending angularly therefrom, la frame to receive the panel having a shoulder to engage the outer side of the panel, a socket carried by the frame and spaced from the shoulder, means insertable in the socket and retained therein having an inwardly extending tongue flange spacedfrom the shoulder on the frame, a plurality of bendable tongues carried by each tongue flange and adapted to be bent to bring the end of each tongue into contact with the panel and the edge yof each tongue into contact with the panel flange to secure the panel to the frame.

7. A panel fastener comprising a panel, a frame to receive the panel and having a shoulder t-o engage one side thereof, and means on the other side of the panel carried by the frame to secure the panel thereto including at least one pair of readily bendable tongues adjacent to each other and directed in opposite directions, the tongues having their bending axes spaced from the other side of the panel, each tongue being bent to a position substantially at right angles to the plane of the panel and into contact therewith to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the bent tongues.

8. A panel fastener comprising a panel, a frame to receive the panel to be fastened having a shoulder to engage one side of the panel, and means on the other side of the panel carried by the frame to secure the panel thereto including at least one pair of readily bendable tongues adjacent to each other, the bending axis of each tongue being spaced from the panel, each tongue having a length from its bending axis slightly greater than the distance to the panel, the tongues being bent to a position substantially at a right angle with respect thereto and into contact therewith to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the ends of the bent tongues,

9. A panel fastener comprising a panel, a frame to receive the panel to be fastened having a shoulder to engage one side of the panel, an inwardly extending flange carried by the frame and spaced from the shoulder on the frame and from the other side of the panel, at least one readily bendable tongue carried by the flange, the tongue having its bending axis spaced from the panel and bent into a position substantially at right angles to the panel into contact therewith to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the bent tongues.

10. A panel fastener comprising a panel, a frame to receive the panel to be fastened having a shoulder to engage one side of the panel, an inwardly extending flange carried by the frame and spaced from the shoulder Yon the frame and from the other side of the panel, at least one pair of readily bendable tongues carried by the flange adjacent to each other, each pair of tongues extending in opposite directions and having their bending axes spaced from the other side of the panel, each tongue being bent to a position substantially at right angles with respect to the panel into contact therewith to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the bent tongue.

11. A panel fastener comprising a panel, a frame to receive the panel to -be fastened having a shoulder to engage one side of the panel, an inwardly extending flange carried by the frame and spaced from the shoulder on the frame and from the other side of the panel, a least one readily bendable tongue carried by the flange, each tongue having its bending axis spaced from the panel and having a length slightly greater than the distance from its bending axis to the panel, the tongues being bent to a position substantially at right angles with respect to the panel to bring the end of the tongue into contact therewith to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the end of the bent tongue.

12. A panel fastener comprising a panel, a frame to receive the panel to be fastened having a shoulder to engage one side of the panel, an inwardly extending flange carried by the frame and spaced from the shoulder on the frame and from the other side of the panel, at least one pair of readily bendable tongues carried by the flange adjacent to each other, each tongue having its bending axis spaced from the panel and having a length slightly greater than the distance from its 'bending axis to the panel, the tongues being bent to a position substantially at right angles with respect to the panel to bring the ends of the tongues into contact therewith to secure the panel to the frame between the shoulder and the ends of the bent tongues.

SAMUEL HAMMER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 863,364 Decherd Aug. 13, 1907 1,059,764 Ringer Apr. 22, 1913 1,097,009 Dill May 19, 1914 1,146,586 Maitland July 13, 1915 1,347,706 Motteau July 27, 1920 1,352,531 Rizzuot Sept. 14, 1920 1,556,851 Kulas Oct. 13, 1925 1,614,156 Schmidt Jan. 11, 1927 1,699,013 Nelson Jan. 15, 1929 1,984,028 Macleod Dec. 11, 1934 1,985,150 Collins Dec, 18, 1934 

